Big Girls Don't Cry
by HeartsWereNeverMeantToRace
Summary: A Chaylor Story. Chad jets off to college leaving Taylor with a secret. One he doesn't discover until their 5 year High School ReUnion.
1. Introduction

Taylor rolled over in her bed, and sighed when she felt the place her boyfriend should have been. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. She looked over at the clock. It read 9:00am. Chad's flight left the hour before. He was on his way back to their home town of Alberquerque, New Mexico. She still hadn't told him. She had had four weeks to muster up the courage to tell him, but at her last opportunity, she chickened out. She stood up suddenly and rushed into the bathroom, with her daily case of morning sickness. After she was finished, she say on the bathroom floor,trying not to cry. She thought of the last thing Chad told her before he left, ending their relationship...

_*The Night Before*  
_

_"I'm sorry,babe, but I gotta go." Chad held Taylor close to him, not wanting her to feel alone._

_"Chad... I have something to tell you." Taylor teared up and looked into his eyes. "I-" She was cut off._

_"Taylor... this is hard, but I think we should break up. Who knows how long it'll be 'til we see each other again." She was hurt and didn't know what to say. She nodded her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Hey." He wiped some of her tears away and smiled sadly." You're a big girl. You're in college now, and no matter how much it hurts big girls don't cry."_

Taylor smiled sadly and subjected herself to the tears she had been fighting. She would have seven and a half months to cry and then she had to be strong for the little piece of her and Chad she was bringing into the world.


	2. My Little Piece of Him

*Five Years Later*

Taylor rushed around her New York apartment, trying to get herself and her four year old daughter,Halo, ready to leave. She had landed a summer internship with one of the most prestigious law firms in the city. Suddenly her phone rang, filling her apartment with Ne-Yo's _Miss Independent_

_Cause she walk like a boss, talk like a boss  
Manicured nalis, that set the pedicure off  
She's fly effortlessly_

"Hello?" Taylor answered as she looked around her bedroom for her shoes.

"Hello, Taylor."

Taylor sighed with relief when she heard her best friend since high school's voice. "Hey Gabriella. What's up?"

"Just wondering when we're going to see you back in Alberquerque?"

"Is this about the reunion again?"

"Yes, it's about the reunion again. You should come! You haven't been here since we graduated."

Taylor shook her head and sighed as she motioned for her daughter to put her shoes on. "I've already told you. I'm not going back to Alberquerque, Gabby, and that's final."

"Well, I sent you two plane tickets just in case. Maybe you'd like to bring someone, wink wink." Gabby giggled.

"I don't have anybody like THAT in my life." And she hadn't, not since Chad. She couldn't put her heart at risk again. She had bigger things to worry about, mainly her daughter and her job. "And that's the way it's gonna stay." She sat down and slid on her heels. Sitting, for the first time since she woke up late at eight that morning.

"GOOD!" Gabriella exclaimed, shocking Taylor. "Neither does Chad." Taylor just shook her head and glanced nervously at her daughter. "Don't try to even deny you're still in love with him."

"Gabriella, we broke up!" Taylor exclaimed, trying to keep herself from crying. She had tried to push Chad into the back of her memory banks, which was extremely hard to do. She saw his face everyday, mirrored in her daughter. With the exception, of Halo's hazel eyes, a unique genetic quirk.

"Just think about it,Tay. Besides, I want you to see T.J." Gabriella refered to her blue eyed newborn, with her husband, Troy.

"We'll see,Gabby. We'll see." Taylor sighed hung up on her best friend. She grabbed her daughter's hand and rushed out the door.

While in the car, Taylor constantly peeked at her daughter through the rearview mirror. Finally the four year old spoke up. "Mommy, who were you talking to on da phone?"

"Just an old friend, why?"

"I wanna know why don't you wanna go to Albert's turkey." Halo looked curiously up at her mother.

Taylor couldn't help but smile. "I think you mean, Alberquerque, sweetie."

Taylor watched her daughter mouth the word a couple times, in confusion before trying to say it again. "Albert's car keys?"

Taylor laughed. "Close enough. There are just some people there that mommy doesn't want to see."

"Oh. Are they bad? Like Diana at pwee-school?"

"No, they hurt Mommy's heart a little bit." Taylor pulled up into Halo's pre-school. She walked around and took Halo out of the carseat. Suddenly, Halo kissed her mother's cheek. "Sweetie what was that for?"

"Somebody put a boo-boo on your heart. So I kissed it and made it better." Taylor smiled at her young daughter and watched as Halo's hazel eyes lit up and smiled back.

Taylor sighed as Chad's infamous smile creeped unto her daughter's face. "Come on. Let's get you inside."


	3. Back Home

_How did I get here? _Taylor wondered silently as she looked out of the plane's window, awaiting take off. She looked at her daughter coloring and remembered the night, three days before.

_"Mommy." Halo looked up at her mother, tucking her in. "Do I have a daddy?"_

_Taylor had to regain her composure before answering. She had hoped this question would never pop up. "Why, of course you do sweetie. Why do you ask?"_

_" 'Cause we made a father's day present today in school and I didn't think I had one." Halo said quietly, holding her head down. "So, I do have a daddy?"_

_Taylor didn't want to tell her daughter this quite yet, but looking into her daughter's soft, innocent hazel eyes, she knew Halo deserved the truth. "Yep, and I tell you what. You can SEE him." _

_"Really?!" Halo lifted up out of the covers, ruining Taylor's perfect tuck. "When?"_

_"In a few days when school is over." Taylor said thinking of the date of the plane tickets Gabriella sent. _

_"Yay! So I can see him before father's day!!"_

_"Uh... Yeah." Taylor answered reluctantly. She knew this meant telling Chad the truth in less then a week._

_"Thank you, Mommy! I love you." The four year old stretched up to hug her mother then laid back down. She closed her eyes and began imagining what her daddy would be like._

_Taylor kissed her daughter's forehead and slipped out of ther pink room. She leaned her head against the door and sighed "Oh boy."_

Taylor took a deep breath as her flight took off. She reached into her carry-on and pulled out her blue iPod. She immediately searched for her favorite song.

_Some things last till the end of time  
But what we had just couldn't survive  
I got so used to you in my life  
So now that you're gone there's something missing insideOooooh(Just can't do it on my own)_

_How can you expect me to just move on  
When you're what I lived for  
You're all I know  
Got so used to having you to lean on  
Without you I'm left with the fear of flying  
(Can't do it on my own) Flying  
(Can't do it on my own) Flying  
(Just can't do it on my own)Ooooh  
The fear of flying  
(Can't do it on my own) Flying  
(Can't do it on my own) Flying_

_Fear of Flying_ described her emotions at that point. After Chad left,the only thing she was strong enough to take care of Halo and do her job. Anything else, she just didn't feel like doing. She hated the fact she life was like a cheesy love song, but it was true. Taylor rested against the window and drifted off to sleep.

Taylor grabbed her bags and her daughter's hand, then, shuffled off to rent a car. As she drove down the familiar highway, in the rented Toyota Camry, she tapped nervously on the steering wheel. She glanced at her sleeping daughter and sighed. _Taylor calm down. You're doing this for Halo._ She thought to herself as she turned onto Willow Drive, the street she grew up on. Taylor's heartbeat quickened as she passed the Danforth household. It had been almost five years since she'd seen that house. The house that her young daughter had been conceived. It still gave her butterflies.

Taylor rang her parents doorbell, as if she were a stranger. Halo looked up at her mother sleepily, "Do I get to see Daddy now?"

"No, sweetie. You get to see my mommy and daddy, your grandparents." Just then, Taylor's father, Shawn McKessie, opened the door.

"Hi, Taylor." Taylor's father embraced the 23-year old in a hug.

"Hi, Daddy." Taylor returned the hug before pulling away.

"Hi Halo. Do you remember me?" Shawn bent down to look in his granddaughter's hazel eyes. She shook her ponytails back and forth, to answer no. "Well, I'm your grandpa. Last time I saw you, you were still a little baby."

"But I'm a big girl now!" Halo beamed.

"That's right." Shawn reached out his hand for Halo's. "Let's go inside so your grandma can see you."

As expected Tonya McKessie made a huge fuss over seeing her granddaughter after 4 years. While Halo and her "Nana", as Tonya liked to be called, baked cookies, Taylor and her father sat in the living in silence until, Shawn asked Taylor the question that had been on his mind since she said she was coming to Alberquerque.

"Why'd you decide to come? We've been asking for YEARS to get you to come visit, and then all of a sudden you call us up. Are you in any trouble?"

"NO! Dad... I just wanted to come, for the reunion." Taylor hoped that answer would satisfy her father.

"The one you didn't want to go to when your mother asked?" Shawn pressed the issue further. He knew his daughter would break soon.

"FINE! I came to see Chad all right." Taylor looked down at her hands. "Halo wanted to meet her father and I didn't have the heart to say no."

"Taylor..." Shawn got up from his easy chair and walked over to his clearly distressed daughter. "Have you told him yet?" Taylor shook her head, she feared speaking would allow the tears to fall out of her eyes. "Are you ready? I mean, you obviously didn't tell him for a reason."

Taylor looked up and wiped her tears. " It's past time he knew. Halo deserves to know her father and Chad deserves to know his daughter."

"I'm glad you finally realize that baby girl." Shawn patted his daughter's back and walked into his kitchen._  
_


	4. Picking Up Where We Left Off

Taylor took slow deep breaths as she looked in the full length mirror. She was about to leave for her high school reunion. No one knew she was coming. She secretly enjoyed that. She could surprise them. On the other hand she was terrified about seeing her ex-boyfriend after five years. On top of that she had to tell him about their four year old daughter. This was definitely gonna be a night to remember.

Taylor walked down the stairs dressed in her timeless blacck dress that came to her knees and hugged her every curve. "Wow. Baby girl" Her father said as she walked down the stairs. "He is definitely gonna regret leaving Taylor S. McKessie."

"Daddy, this is not about getting back with Chad. This is about seeing all my friends from high school and Halo meeting her father. That's it."

"Sure it is baby girl." Shawn said with a roll of his eyes.

"Okay, Daddy." Taylor shook her head with a smile. "Halo?" She called out for her daughter. Just then Tonya and Halo walked into the living room.

"Mommy, you look pretty. Doesn't she Nana?" Halo's hazel eyes lit up as she looked at her mother. It was a rarity to see Taylor dress up.

"That she does, Halo. That she does." Tonya nodded in agreement as Taylor lowered herself to her daughter's level.

"Now, Halo, you'll be good for Papa and Nana won't you." The four year old nodded. "All right then. Gimme hug and kiss." Halo happily did what her mother asked of her. Taylor stood back up slowly and hugged her parents. "Don't wait up." She winked as she walked out of her parent's home.

Taylor wasn't surprised to find the East High gym covered in red and white decorations for the reunion. Every balloon, napkin, cup, and banner had "Class of 2008" somewhere written on it. It didn't take long for Taylor's old crew to spot her. Her two best friends Gabriella Bolton and Sharpay Evans ran up to her. Gabriella was dress in a beautiful jade green dress that perfectly accentuated her Latina skin tone. Sharpay was dressed in the usual way with a pink dress covered in Swarovski Crystals.

"Oh My God!! Taylor! Is that really you?!" Sharpay said as she ran up to her best friend.

"Naw, it's Monique Coleman. OF COURSE it's me."

"Dang, girl you are WORKING that dress." Sharpay said as she looked Taylor up and down before pulling into a hug. "See now I know you have to be in my wedding."

"Wedding? Did I miss something?" Taylor didn't remember getting a call about Sharpay being engaged.

"No. Sharpay wasn't supposed to tell anyone yet." Zeke Baylor hovered over his fiancee with his hands on his hips.

Sharpay put on a pout and looked up at him "Sorry, Zekey." Zeke tried his hardest not to give in. "You know you love me."

"That I do Miss Evans... that I do." He smiled at his fiancee before kissing her softly. "Hey Taylor, long time no see."

"You too Zeke. So when are we gonna get a Shar's in the NYC?" Taylor asked with a smile.

"Let me get the one here in Alberquerque opened and then we'll talk." Zeke smiled at the thought of having his restaurant all over the country.

"All right. All this talk about Zeke's food is making me hungry." Gabriella smiled and ushered the group to the table where her husband was sitting. "Troy look what I found." Gabriella giggled as she pointed to Taylor.

"Gabby, one more wise crack and we will fight." Taylor teased her best friend, like she would in high school. "Hey Troy."

"Hey Taylor. You look great now all we have to do is wait for Chad to get here and we're all back together." Troy said with a smile. "Speak of the devil." Troy pointed toward the entrance.

Taylor's heartbeat quickened as she saw her ex-boyfriend ,and one true love's, hair coming toward them. Chad was smiling as he walked to the table. When he arrived, Taylor was the first one he noticed. "Hi, Taylor. Umm Wow... you look amazing."

"You do too." Taylor couldn't help but to smile back. "How ya been?"

"Needless to say..." Chad sighed before continuing so softly that only Taylor could hear. "Miserable without you."

Or so he thought. "Awww." Gabby said with a sigh. "See Tay I told you so."

"That's it." Taylor pointed a playful finger at Gabriella. "I'm gonna kick your Filipino a-" She was cut off by the gym being filled with Beyonce's _Halo. _It had been her and Chad's song during high school.

"Taylor...dance with me." It was more of a command than a question but Taylor gladly took his hand as he lead her on the dance floor. Chad pulled Taylor as close to him as possible and Taylor rested her head on his chest. "I've missed you Tay." Chad whispered softly in her ear and she looked up at him. " I mean it Tay. I still love you and I've never stopped."

Taylor simply rested her head back on his chest and whispered "I love you too." She'd tell him about Halo later. Right at that moment she felt the exact words Beyonce was singing.

_I swore I'd never fall again  
But this don't even feel like falling  
Gravity came again  
To pull me back to the ground again._

Later that night, Chad and Taylor stumbled into Chad's hotel room, locked in a passionate kiss. Chad laid Taylor gently on the bed and their relationship picked up where the left off five years previously_  
_


	5. Picture Perfect

Chad rolled over on the hotel's queen sized bed. He reached out for his high school sweetheart but found nothing. "Tay?" He called out groggily with his eyes half shut. He heard a soft grunt and then fully opened his eyes. He saw Taylor slipping her dress back on. "Where are you going?"

"I gotta get back to my parents' house." She answered as she sat on the bed, slipping her heels back on. Chad pulled her by her waist closer to him.

"Baby, please stay." He whispered as he planted a soft kiss on her shoulder blade.

"I can't." Taylor unattached his hands from around her waist and stood. "Come to my parents' place today at eight." She paused when she realized he was liable to show up at night. "In the morning. We can go for a jog and talk." She kissed him softly before slipping out of the hotel room.

When Taylor arrived home, she saw her two middle aged parents reclined on the couch. "It is three in the morning. I thought I told you guys not to wait up."

"We wanted to see how things with Chad went." Tonya waited for her daughter to start, but all she got in response was a very flustered looking Taylor. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

"We got preoccupied with... other things." Taylor admitted with her head down. She looked back up. "But he's coming over in the morning. I'll tell him then."

"You really need to stop procrastinating with this, Taylor." Shawn jumped in remembering fairly well that he had heard it all before. "You can't hide her from him forever. I can tell by the way you look you two talked and **did** things you shouldn't have done until you told him about her."

"I know. Look, I should probably get some sleep. I've got a big day ahead of me." Taylor said goodnight to both her parents. She headed upstairs, changed into her PJs, and got into bed beside her daughter. A million different scenarios played out in her mind of how the next day would go. She finally drifted off to sleep utterly terrified.

Chad headed to the McKessie household as soon as he woke up that morning. To Chad's surprise, the door was answered by Shawn McKessie, not Taylor. "Good Morning Mr. McKessie. Is Taylor awake?"

"Yeah. She's in the shower. Come on in, Chad." Shawn opened the front door wider and led Chad into the living room. The same room his daughter sat watching cartoon. Shawn had decided that if Taylor wasn't gonna tell Chad he would. He excused himself into the kitchen, leaving father and daughter alone.

Chad looked at the little girl with his head cocked to his side. "Who's..." He turned to ask Shawn who the little girl was but he had already disappeared. Chad decided to sit on the floor beside the little girl and ask her himself. "Hi."

Halo turned and smiled. "You must be my mommy's friend. Papa told me you were coming."

Chad was shocked speechless. The little girl's face mirrored his own to a T. He had no doubts that she was his daughter but Taylor had never told him. _Why?_ He wondered. "Yep. What's your name sweetie?"

"Halo." She said with a smile._ My smile, _Chad thought. "My mommy named me that 'cause she says I'm her angel."

"I bet you're daddy's angel, too."

The small girl frowned. "I don't know my daddy." She said with a shake of her head but then smiled. "But mommy said I can meet him while we're here."

_So, that's the real reason Taylor came. _"I bet you'll be your daddy's angel, too, Halo McKessie."

The little girl scrunched her face in confusion. "That's not my name."

"It's not?"

"No. My name's Halo DeCiel Danforth." Halo smiled brightly and then remembered something. "Hey! You never told me your name."

_Should I? Maybe it's Taylor's place to tell?_ A million thoughts raced through Chad's mind before deciding with "Chad."

"That's a nice name." Halo commented before turning back to cartoons.

Chad turned around to find Taylor standing in the doorway. "Hi." Chad said breathlessly. "Y-You ready to go?"

Taylor nodded. She hadn't heard Chad and Halo's entire coversation, but she had heard enough to know Chad knew the truth.

"Let's go,then." Chad took her hand in his own and led her out the door. "So, when were you going to tell me?" Chad asked as soon as they got down the driveway.

"Sometime this weekend. Actually I was supposed to tell you last night." Taylor looked at her feet and kept walking.

"I guess we both got a little caught up last night." Chad said with a chuckle."How old is she?"

"She's four."

"Why didn't you tell me? You obviously had plenty of time." Chad couldn't help but be angry. He had missed four years of his daughter's life

"The truth or what I told everybody else." Chad's look clearly implied truth. " I was worried about how you'd react. I was going to tell you the night we broke up but you broke up with me. And afterward just the thought of seeing you scared me... **hurt **me."

"Tay. I didn't know leaving you did so much damage." Chad sighed. "I'm sorry and I wanna make it up to you. If you'll let me."

"Of Course." Taylor smiled up at him, He smiled back and then turned back in the direction they were coming from. "Where are you going? The park's **that** way." Taylor pointed in the opposite direction.

Chad didn't turn back around but kept walking. "I've missed four years of my daughter's life. I'm not gonna miss a second more. We're going to the park as a family."

Taylor smiled, and ran toward Chad. She jumped on his back and whispered in his ear. "I love you, Chad Danforth."

Chad turned his head and smirked at her. "Who doesn't? Now it's time for Halo to meet her daddy."

On the walk back to the house Chad asked Taylor one question that still stood out in his mind. "Halo DeCiel?"

"You remember how Halo was our song in high school. Plus she's my little angel. And DeCiel means Of heaven very loosely in Spanish."

"So she's our angel of heaven?" Chad asked with a smile.

"Exactly." Taylor grinned back as Chad carried her up her parents' driveway

Chad dropped Taylor at the front door and they were greeted by Tonya. "Back so soon?"

Taylor simply shrugged and said, "Someone was missing." Tonya gave her daughter a knowing smile.

"Halo? Come here sweetie." Tonya called for her granddaughter, who came running out of the kitchen.

"Mommy. What are you doing back?"

Taylor looked up at Chad. "You wanna tell her or should I?"

"I'll do it." Chad squatted down to his daughter's level. "You remember what we talked about earlier, Halo?"

"Uh huh. My daddy and my last name."

"You see. I realized I never told you my last name. You wanna know what it is?" Halo nodded her head yes. "My last name is Danforth."

The little girl gasped. "That's my last name!"

"I know and it's your daddy's last name, too."

The little girl's hazel eyes widened. "You know my daddy?"

"Halo sweetie." Chad paused then smiled. "I am your daddy."

Halo's eyes widened even more. She smiled and jumped into Chad's arms, wrapping her little arms around his neck and burying her face into his shoulder. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you,too."

Taylor smiled at father and daughter's embrace. She had always dreamed of it happening, but she never thought it come true. Shawn, also, smiled at his granddaughter's discovery of her long lost father. He thought to himself,_ Finally,_ as he watched tears fall from Chad's eyes. Tonya was smiling too as she snapped a photo of the loving embrace. _Picture Perfect, _she thought as she walked away to finish the family's breakfast.


	6. Crashing Down

**AN: Sorry for the long wait. Major Writer's Block. **

**Disclaimer: I feel like I should do this because everybody else does (*sigh* peer pressure). So no I don't own HSM but if I did Chaylor would be in every scene!!!**

After waiting for Halo to change out of her pajamas and into regular clothes, the Danforth-McKessie clan headed to Willow Park in pure bliss. Halo sat perched on her father's shoulders with a bright smile on her face. Chad's smile shone just as bright as his daughter's. He had one hand on his daughter's leg keeping her balanced and the entwined in his one true love's. Taylor wore a smile on her face as she occasionally glanced at Chad and Halo. She couldn't help but sigh contently at the thoughts of them being a true family.

The three entered the the park and headed toward the red and white swingset that included swings, a slide, and a teeter totter. The four year old immediately headed for the swings. "Daddy, push me!"

"Okay, Sweetie." Chad let go of Taylor's hand and walked to the swings to push his daughter.

Taylor watched Chad and Halo on the swing while sitting on a picnic table with a smile. It was a truly beautiful day,in her opinion. The sky was crystal blue with pillowly white clouds scattered about. The temperature was approaching 70 degrees but there was a nice breeze. The birds were chirping but the park was overall quiet. Above all, the day was beautiful to Taylor because she was spending time with the two people she loved most, Chad and Halo.

Taylor grew restless just watching Chad and Halo. She felt that something major was about to happen and although the world was perfect now, it would all come crashing down on her. She wandered down the path in the park and she stopped suddenly. There was a red tent in the middle of the field. She gasped. "The family picnic..."

"Taylor!"

"Mommy!"

Chad and Halo ran towards Taylor as soon as they spotted her. She didn't respond. She was in shock. All of them would be there. All of her old friends. They didn't know about Halo and she didn't really know how to tell them. Being a young mother was never in the cards. No one expected it from her.

"Tay are you all right?" Chad looked at Taylor. His eyes filled with concern, worry and love. She closed her eyes and shook her head, just as Gabriella Bolton popped out of the tent.

"Chad! Tay!" She held on to her newborn in one hand and waved with the other. Chad's eyes widened. He knew what was wrong with Taylor. _We have to tell them..._ He thought. " I didn't think you guys were coming after last night. I sware it was like we were in high school again. You know I'm surprised the two of you didn't have a kid the way you..." She trailed off. Chad and Taylor both tensed at the word 'kid'. She noticed.

Halo had always been a very perceptive little girl. One of the few things she got from Taylor. Though she didn't understand everything, two things were clear. Something was wrong with her parents and the strange woman caused it. Halo, being only four years old and not knowing what to do, let out a distressing cry.

Taylor was the first to react. Her maternal instincts kicking in. She reached down and picked up Halo, rubbing her back soothingly

"Gabi!" Troy exited the tent, looking for his wife and ran over to the three. It was then Chad snapped out of his shocked state.

"Who's she?" Gabi asked refering to Halo. "She looks kinda like you Chad, except for the eyes. Is she your niece or something?"

"Gabi..." Troy said, his voice warning. It didn't take long for him to realize who Halo was and why she was clinging to Taylor for dear life.

It clicked for Gabriella then, too. "Oh." That's all she could say, before slipping into the shocked state of every adult around her.

"HEY!" The four adults' heads snapped up to see Sharpay Evans (soon-to be Baylor) walking toward them. Chad chuckled bitterly. _The day just gets better and better_. He thought to himself sarcastically. "We are about to start serving the food and unless you four want to starve you better get your hineys back into the tent." She snapped before turning toward Chad and Taylor. "Good morning." Then she noticed Halo looking up at her. "What is that thing?"

Taylor glared at Sharpay and did something she never had done before, spoke without thinking, "She's not a **thing**, Sharpay." Anger oozed off of every word. "She's my daughter and I would kindly appreciate you not talking about her that way."

Sharpay was shocked by two things. _Taylor McKessie, the brainic good girl, is a single mom and she just stood up to me?_

"Ummm...." Troy, of course, was the first to break the silence. "Why don't we had back inside? We can talk there." Troy took TJ from his wife and led her and Sharpay back inside.

"I..." Taylor paused looking up at Chad. "I have a lot of explaining to do."

Chad intertwined his fingers with hers. "**We** have a lot of explaining to do."

Taylor simply nodded while Halo reached out for her father. "Daddy?" Chad took Halo into his arms without second thought. She was his and he was hers, simple as that. Together the Danforth-McKessie clan entered the tent. All eyes were on them as they headed for the table that hosted Troy, Gabriella, Zeke, Sharpay, and Ryan.

"Hi." Taylor was the first to speak, sliding into her chair looking down. Nobody responded. All of the fellow 2008 graduates stared at the table, all eyes on Taylor, Chad and Halo.

Sharpay stood up and looked around. "GET BACK TO YOUR LUNCH!! THERE IS NOTHING TO WATCH OVER HERE!!" She waited for everyone to return to her meals before sitting back down.

"Thanks, Shar." Taylor said with a small smile. While Chad chuckled, "Same Old Ice Princess."

Sharpay sent him a death glare causing the whole table to laugh. Sharpay looked at Chad and Taylor with a raised eyebrow. "Daughter?" Zeke nudged her gently, warning her not to say anything. The table was silent each person passing looks to one another.

Finally Ryan broke the silence and looked at Taylor. "Lucy... you got some splainin' to do." Everyone laughed at Ryan's perfect imitation of Ricky Ricardo

"Well... I don't know where to start." Taylor finally spoke after the laughter stopped.

"Start with her name." Ryan suggested.

Taylor looked down at her daughter. "Sweetie, can you tell everyone your name?"

Halo looked up at Taylor and Chad before turning to everybody else. In just a little above a whisper she said, "Halo."

"That's a pretty name, Halo." Gabriella smiled. "My name's Gabriella but you can call me Aunt Gabi." She held her hand out for Halo to shake.

"Hi." Halo meekly shook Gabi's hand before pulling back.

"And that's Auntie Shar, Uncle Troy, and Uncle Ryan." Taylor introduced her daughter to all her high school friends.

"How old is she?" Sharpay asked. " And you forgot Zeke."

"She's four." Chad answered at the same time Halo said, "I already know Uncle Zeke!" Silence fell on the table as the group looked from Zeke to Taylor to Halo to back at Taylor for an answer.

Zeke finally spoke up. "I looked up Taylor about a year ago when my class went to New York to learn from Chef Michell Diedier. That's when I met Halo."

"WHAT?!" Chad and Sharpay yelled, bringing the attention back on their table.

"How could you not tell me?!" Sharpay screamed at her fiancee. In the nearly six years they had been together he had never kept something from her.

"Taylor, how could you tell **Zeke** but not me!?" Chad was furious. She'd been hiding this from him, but she could tell his best friend.

Zeke, once again, came to Taylor's defense, noticing she was on the verge of tears. "I didn't tell either of you because Taylor didn't want me to. I wasn't supposed to find out but I did."

"Oh Gee, thanks Zeke." Sharpay started sarcastically, in a tone she'd never taken with Zeke but with plenty others. "That makes everything better. Next you're gonna tell me that Halo is really your daughter."

"Yes, Shar." Zeke's sarcastic tone matched his fiance's. "Because I really look like Chad."

Taylor looked up at Chad with tears in her eyes, trying not to cry. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever, Tay." Chad rolled his eyes. "I'm outta here." He walked out of the tent with Taylor following close behind.

"Chad wait!" Taylor ran to catch up with Chad but he was faster. "Please." She begged.

Chad was already crossing the street at this point. The road was clear and he looked back at Taylor. They shared one pain filled looked before time seemed to slow down for a few instants.

"Chad LOOK OUT!" Both Chad and Taylor looked at Troy before looking out at the road. Taylor's deepest fear was realized, her perfect world came crashing down.


	7. Happily Ever After

The waiting room outside of East Alberquerque general was dead quiet, with the exception of Taylor's hysterical cries. They had yet to receive word from the doctors working on Chad. He had sustained several injuries from being hit by the car.

"It's all my fault." Taylor whispered between sobs. "It's all my fault."

"Taylor, don't say that." Troy said firmly. He refused to let her believe that it was her fault.

"Yes it is Troy! If I had just told him about Halo from the beginning none of this would've happened!"

"Tay... don't blame yourself." It was Zeke trying to comfort her this time. " You were eighteen and scared."

"But still... I should've told him sooner. He wouldn't be hurt right now if it was for me." Taylor teared up once more and hung her head to hide her tears.

The pitter patter of small feet sounded through the room as Halo crossed the waiting room to be with her mother. She rested one hand on Taylor's thigh. The other on her cheek. "Mommy?"

Taylor looked up at the young girl as she wiped her tears away. "Yes, Sweetie?"

"Why you cryin'?" Halo's large hazel eyes, filled with worry and concern, looked into her mother's brown ones.

" 'Cause Daddy's hurt sweetie."

Halo's mouth made a small O as she looked down at the ground, trying to process what her mother had just said. "Will Daddy be okay?"

Taylor was conflicted. She could lie to Halo and tell her that Chad would be fine, but that would only make things more complicated if something did happen to Chad. Taylor could tell Halo the truth and have the four year old worried out of her mind. Taylor went with the truth. "I don't know, Sweetie, but we hope so."

Halo stood up on her tip toes and wrapped her hands around her mother's neck. She pressed her cheek against Taylor's and whispered, "Daddy'll be okay. We gotta live happily ever after... like the story book." Taylor smiled at her daughter's innocence. Halo removed her arms from her mother's neck and wiped away some of her tears. "Momma don't cry. Remember what you told me?"

Taylor smiled again. " Yeah, I know. Big Girls..."

"Don't Cry." Halo joined Taylor in saying the last two words of the phrase. Halo grinned at her mother. " I love you Mommy."

" I love you,too." Taylor smiled slightly, just as her daughter started to yawn. "Sleepy little one?" Halo shook her head no. "Yes you are." Taylor lifted Halo onto her lap and Halo instinctively rested her head on her mother's chest, then drifted off to sleep.

Naomi Danforth crossed the waiting room and approached her newly found granddaughter and the young woman she always knew would be her daughter in law. "Taylor."

"Yes, Mrs. Danforth?" Taylor looked up at Naomi.

"I just wanted to say you're an amazing mother and that you probably could've told Chad before. He could've handled it."

Taylor simply nodded. "I know."

"And it's not your fault." Taylor opened her mouth to object but Naomi cut her off. "Don't argue. It's true."

"You're probably right, Mrs. Danforth." Taylor said with a sigh.

"Not probably right. I AM right."

Taylor chuckled. "Okay."

"And Halo's right,too."

Taylor looked at Naomi confused. "About what?"

"Chad'll be fine and you'll have a happily ever after."

Taylor smiled. "Thanks, Mrs. Danforth." She reached over and hugged the woman she viewed as a second mother.

Naomi smiled and hugged Taylor back. " You're welcome, Taylor."

A throat was cleared. "Miss McKessie. Mrs. Danforth?" Taylor and Naomi looked up and saw Chad's doctor standing in the center of the waiting room.

"Yes, Doctor?" Taylor stood up the fastest she could with Halo in her arms.

"We've got good news and bad news."


	8. Crawl

**AN: Full authors note at the end. I own nothing but plot**

* * *

"What is it, doctor?" Taylor asked, putting on a brave face. She knew that if there was some good news Chad was still alive… at least for now.

"Well, Mr. Danforth has sustained several injuries, including some broken ribs and a concussion, but the good news is he should go on to live a happy life."

Taylor and Naomi shared a smile. Chad was alive and would stay that way until his time would come. Naomi's smile slowly faded as she realized that there was still the bad news

"The bad news is," The doctor continued, with a grave look on his face. He didn't know an easy way to break things to them so; he decided not to go with the straight-forward route at the last moment. "Chad plays… basketball, does he not?"

"Yes," Naomi answered skeptically. "He just signed his contract to the NBA… why?"

The doctor sighed. This would be worse than he imagined. He looked at the two women and thought of his own wife and daughter. He sighed again. This was his job, he had to do it, whether he liked it or not. "Chad, will not be able to play basketball, again… ever."

Taylor's mouth fell open in shock. Basketball was what Chad lived for. "Wait, what? He's not… paralyzed is he?"

"No, not paralyzed, but one bad foul, one bad jump shot… and he will be."

Naomi gasped and glanced back at Troy, her son's childhood best friend and NBA teammate. What would happen next? "D-Does he know?"

"No, I wanted to tell you, first." The doctor said, looking at his feet. He had been the bearer of bad new many times before and it never got easier. Telling someone that the person they loved, son, daughter, husband, father, would never walk again, do something they loved, or live to see their next birthday never got any easier.

"C-can we go see him?" Taylor asked, looking up at the doctor. He gave her a slight nod and she turned back to her seat to pick up the sleeping Halo. Taylor quickly walked down the white halls of the hospital. As she did, she had flashbacks of the day she went into labor with Halo. Though it wasn't the same hospital, the format was the same. Finally, she arrived at Chad's room. She took a deep breath and opened the door slowly.

Chad looked up to thinking he was going to see the doctor. When he saw Taylor, he was slightly surprised. She was holding Halo tightly and her coffee brown eyes were brimming with tears. "T-tay"

_  
Everybody sees it's you  
I'm the one that lost the view_

_Everybody says we're through  
I hope you haven't said it too_

"I'm sorry." Taylor whispered before moving over to the side Chad's bed. She laid Halo down at Chad's feet and sobbed into his blankets. "I'm so, so sorry."

Chad reached out and stroked Taylor's hair. He twisted his fingers into her dark brown locks. "Why? What are you apologizing for?"

_So where do we go from here  
With all this fear in our eyes_

Taylor looked up at him, her eyes still brimming with tears. "F-For everything. For not telling you about Halo, For lying about Zeke knowing, for just… _everything."_

_And where can love take us now  
We've been so far down  
We can still touch the sky_

"Taylor…" Chad tilted her chin slightly, so he could look into her big brown eyes. "You don't have to apologize. You don't have to apologize because there's nothing to apologize for. I've already forgiven you."

_Why did I change the pace  
Hearts were never meant to race_

"But Chad… if I had told you about Halo, none of this would have happened. You wouldn't be here…"

_Always felt the need for space  
And now I can't reach your face_

"You don't know that for sure, Taylor. Don't beat yourself up over it."

_So where are you standing now  
Are you in the crowd of my faults_

"Chad, you can't play basketball again. I have taken the one thing you love most in this world from you." Taylor looked up at Chad with tear filled eyes once again. She believed it would be impossible for Chad to still love her at this point.

_Love can't you see in my hand  
I need one more chance  
We can still have it all_

"Taylor Sierra McKessie, **you **are the most important thing in the world to me. You and Halo are what I need to survive. I love nothing more than the two of you." Chad took Taylor's hands into his own.

_  
Everybody sees it's you  
But I never want to lose that view_

"Taylor, I'd give up basketball if it meant I got to keep you and Halo in my life. Can't you see that?" Chad looked at Taylor with nothing but honesty, sincerity, and most of all love in his eyes. Taylor believed every word he said and nodded to answer his question.

_So we'll crawl, til we can walk again_

"What do we now? You live here in Albuquerque, Halo and I live in New York." Taylor stood slowly, uncomfortable from kneeling by Chad's bed for so long.

_Then we'll run, until we're strong enough to jump_

"Taylor," Chad said with a sigh, although he was resisting the urge to smirk. "I know not having everything planned out scares you, but I'm in the hospital. Can we take things one step at a time… and get me out of this place first?"

_Then we'll fly until there is no wind_

Taylor laughed for the first time in hours. She smiled at Chad and sighed. "Okay. I don't think it will kill me. I'm a mom… I can deal with the unexpected. I got this."

"And you've got me." Chad smiled up at Taylor and wrapped his arm around her waist, giving her a rather awkward hug. Taylor giggled at his attempt and bent down to hug him fully. While locked in the embrace, Chad whispered into Taylor's ear, " I love you."

Taylor smiled, "I love you, too."

_So let's crawl, crawl, crawl,  
Back to love_

* * *

**AN: my first really big AN got deleted so the short version is sorry it took so long. Hope you enjoyed this. I do not own the song "Crawl" by Chris brown and go listen to it if you haven't ever heard it.**

**PS: Press the green button pretty please!**


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